How to Feed Your Wanderlust (When You’re On A Budget)

Of course, I’m sure all of you are familiar with this meme. It’s supposed to be comical, but it’s a hard truth for us travelers sometimes. Just because your heart and mind want to get up and go, that doesn’t always mean it’s a feasible option. So, how do you quell your craving for travel when you can’t afford to go far?

Act like a tourist

Most of us don’t recognize the beauty of what is right in front of us. I grew up in the beautiful city of Destin, Florida and I know for a fact that I took it for granted. People save up all year to vacation in a city like Destin, but I can count on one hand how many times I went to the beach when I lived there. Maybe you’re familiar with the phrase “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone”…well, that can apply to places as well! Take advantage of where you already reside. See it from a tourists’ eyes. What would you recommend to someone who has never been to your city or town before? GO DO THAT! So often we fail to realize the beauty that is sitting in our own backyard.

Destin, Florida

take a staycation

Okay, so maybe you can’t afford to jump on a plane to Greece right now. But that doesn’t mean that you have to stay home! After seeing your city from a tourists’ point of view, why not use those points you’ve been saving and get a hotel room for the night? It may seem counterintuitive, but the reason we all long for a vacation is because it’s a “get-away”…quite literally getting away from your normal routine. So splurge on that hotel room, get a bed at a local hostel for the night, or grab your tent and camp out under the stars! Do whatever you can to tide you over until you can take the vacation you’ve been dreaming about.

host a traveler

Are you ultra focused on saving and making money to pay for your next plane ticket? Maybe you should think about putting your couch or spare bedroom on AirBnB. Although this is becoming a main source of income for some people, for many others it’s simply an opportunity to connect. Getting to host another traveler (possibly even someone from another country) will help satiate your need for a getaway. Quite often we just long for a mental challenge or change of pace, and thats what leads us to jump on a plane. But if hosting another traveler can provide you the same break in routine, then why not take advantage of that? (While making a couple extra bucks on the side!)

Just because you may not have major bucks to fly all over the world right now, that doesn’t mean you have to feel stuck. We are all capable of fueling our wanderlusting desires, if we only learn to look outside of the box! Do you have any other awesome tips? Feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Never fails, I find myself commenting here once again! Your blog is quite fantastic, I am glad to have found it. And I found your tips really useful, especially the first one. Tourists really do see the world through new eyes!

Destin looks so nice! I’d love to live in a place like that. I’m the same way, I live close to one of the most touristic cities and I just take it for granted. I should get a hotel room for the night and act like a tourist! ✌